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Truth or a simple dream? Lawsuit by man claiming he awoke during surgery at UCSD goes to trial
The four-hour surgery went fine, by all accounts. But soon after, Dalo told his wife, Karen, that he believed he awakened during the procedure and that he was having a recurring nightmare of waking up surrounded by lights and people in hospital gear. At first no one believed him, and hospital officials said nothing untoward had occurred.
But months later, Karen Dalo — who worked at the hospital for 30 years, the final as a surgical tech in its operating rooms — found out that Dr. Bradley Hay, the anesthesiologist for the operation, had recently had his license suspended by the state Medical Board. Hay, who later surrendered his license, had been found after the surgery on the floor of a hospital bathroom, unconscious, speckled with vomit and surrounded by empty syringes of the powerful drug sufentanil.
That happened to a friend of mine. He got a nail in his eye in an accident and they put him out and just as they were about to start he said "how's it going ?" It scared the hell out of the doctors and they had to put him out again. They did tell him after the operation though. But the doctors were local and my friend knew them. They all had a story to tell. No lawsuits.
I had surgery in 1990 and was aware of what was happening. I knew when there was an issue when the drill bit broke and they could not retrieve it and they were worried because my leg was turning blue. I also heard the Dr singing to The Little Mermaid "Under the Sea".
They didn't think I was awake and were shocked when I told them what I remembered; thankfully, I was in no pain!
Once I woke up during a Carpal Tunnel Release surgery. Scared the crap out of my doctor! LOL. I asked him to let me watch. He said no. I asked how long I would need to be in recovery, he said probably not long since you are already awake! I felt nothing because in addition to the anesthesia, there was a nerve block.
Another time I woke up during a colonoscopy. I felt pressure in my stomach, and started talking to them. I think they quickly gave me some more juice.
During a cardiac catheter, I could feel the cath going through my veins. It kinda freaked out the doctor. He had already given me twice the sedative.
And when I had my tonsils out a 9 years old, I needed more than an adult dosage of anesthesia to get me to sleep. The doc laughed about it at my follow up.
I have a very high tolerance to stuff. When you tell doctors that, they think you just want more drugs to get buzzed. I just want to make sure I stay asleep!! LOL
Once I woke up during a Carpal Tunnel Release surgery. Scared the crap out of my doctor! LOL. I asked him to let me watch. He said no. I asked how long I would need to be in recovery, he said probably not long since you are already awake! I felt nothing because in addition to the anesthesia, there was a nerve block.
Another time I woke up during a colonoscopy. I felt pressure in my stomach, and started talking to them. I think they quickly gave me some more juice.
During a cardiac catheter, I could feel the cath going through my veins. It kinda freaked out the doctor. He had already given me twice the sedative.
And when I had my tonsils out a 9 years old, I needed more than an adult dosage of anesthesia to get me to sleep. The doc laughed about it at my follow up.
I have a very high tolerance to stuff. When you tell doctors that, they think you just want more drugs to get buzzed. I just want to make sure I stay asleep!! LOL
What did they give you? They gave me just a bit of midazolam for my colonoscopy - not enough to put me to sleep. I felt nothing. They gave me more midazolam for a foot surgery and put me out. For my shoulder they gave me propofol and intubated me. I remember looking around and saying 'that's the milk - the stuff that killed Michael Jackson.' I told them it wasn't necessary to put me out - just jam me with marcaine and I would be fine. It cost an extra $4000 for anesthesia. I wonder if they do it just to jack up the bill.
I had conscious sedation for orthoscopic surgery on my knee. I got to watch the whole thing on the overhead monitor while they were doing it. It was very awesome. They scraped the bone crystals off the joint and out of the socket with a tiny drill attached to the scope, and then they drilled 7 holes in the femur so that the marrow would seep out and fill the divots created by the crystals. At one point near the 5th or 4th hole I noticed that I was feeling a sensation in the bone, and let them know. They asked if it hurt, I said it was hard to tell. They said if that's all I'm feeling, that's fine, but to let them know if I feel any actual pain. They continued and a few minutes later I was rolled into recovery.
I highly recommend conscious sedation whenever practical, even if you don't watch. You can doze off during the procedure, but recovery time is minutes rather than over an hour for general anaesthetic. Plus - no sore throat from the tube they have to put down your throat for general.
I had conscious sedation for orthoscopic surgery on my knee. I got to watch the whole thing on the overhead monitor while they were doing it. It was very awesome. They scraped the bone crystals off the joint and out of the socket with a tiny drill attached to the scope, and then they drilled 7 holes in the femur so that the marrow would seep out and fill the divots created by the crystals. At one point near the 5th or 4th hole I noticed that I was feeling a sensation in the bone, and let them know. They asked if it hurt, I said it was hard to tell. They said if that's all I'm feeling, that's fine, but to let them know if I feel any actual pain. They continued and a few minutes later I was rolled into recovery.
I highly recommend conscious sedation whenever practical, even if you don't watch. You can doze off during the procedure, but recovery time is minutes rather than over an hour for general anaesthetic. Plus - no sore throat from the tube they have to put down your throat for general.
I had one podiatrist who let me watch my neurectomy. It was fine. he said no one ever wanted to watch before. I only felt a slight pulling sensation when he pulled the nerve out of my foot, but nothing when he cut it. I think they just like to jack up the bill and put you under.
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